Mystical Love
by sri ffn
Summary: Love is the most powerful magic on Taica. When magic is forced into hiding, restitution lies in the hands of the Sacred Seven, and the one true Just. But can they find the key to their powers in time? Can they unlock the mystical power of Love? Canon Couples. AxJ, EmxR, KxG, ExB
1. Prologue

**A/N:** Hello and welcome to my little imaginary world. I would like to thank all the organisers, participants and readers of the P.S. I love you contest. Thank you for all your support and love. I'm sending biggest warm cushy hugs to my beta Ninkita, I couldn't have made it without her. Thank you for your support and your wisdom, sweetheart. My spellings are British, sorry for the inconvenience.

 **DISCLAIMER** **:** Twilight and its inclusive material are copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

 **Prologue**

The Odeus solar system was nestled away in a quiet corner of a small galaxy some light-years away from Earth. Out of its 19 planets, only three were habitable. The tiniest of these planets was Taica. The planet was divided into Land, Sea and Sky creatures. Mother, the Goddess of nature and all elements of Taica, had blessed the Sea and Sky creatures with a just ruler known as Lagan—a flying, multi-armed creature, whose wings morphed into tentacles in the Sea. There was a palpable magic around him, but though his very aura commanded respect, none could understand the magic he possessed.

Taica was home to many Land creatures; their humanoids were known as Taicans. Taicans prided themselves on their united culture—there were no countries on the planet. Among the Taicans grew a special clan of higher, magical beings with formidable powers, who were equally feared and respected.

The Mystiques ruled the planet. They were fierce and intimidating, but the Mystiques did not believe in monarchy. The planet was ruled by a committee of Seven. The Sacred Seven were presided over by one who was wiser and more powerful than the others—the Just.

The Sacred Seven were chosen by the Mother, for she marked them at birth. They were born with unique powers, with the enhanced abilities of a Healer, a Seer, a Warrior, a Scholar, a Destructor, a Mind Reader and a Priest. The Just was always the most powerful of the Mystiques, for he or she was blessed with the power of the Mother herself.

Esme was not born with the markings of the Just—they appeared overnight on her twenty-first birthday. This was the first time that the Mother's markings were found so late on a child. The Just were usually trained from childhood in the ways of ruling. Esme was an anomaly in the unusual crowd of Mystiques, which was saying a lot.

She met the Seven the day after her birthday and found herself immensely attracted to the Healer in ways that she had never been attracted to any Taican or Mystique before. To her delight, she soon learnt that there were no rules preventing her from loving one of the Seven. Taicans believed that love was the oldest and most powerful magic of all. Hence, love was never discouraged or suppressed on their planet.

A bright white light flashed over the planet one day. The Seer danced in joy and the Mind Reader smiled. The whole planet celebrated that the Just had accepted her mate. A few months later Esme was blessed with a child. The child's magic was strong even in the womb. The new parents were ecstatic... until one day when a group of rebel Taicans decided to end what they believed to be Esme's 'phony' act.

Esme's power was unleashed on all thirty-eight rebel Taicans at the same time. One minute they were standing above ground, the next minute the land became quicksand and they found themselves buried beneath it. The minute after that it turned into solid ground again. Nobody ever doubted the powers of the Mother that resided in Esme after that fated day.

Unfortunately, one of the thirty-eight slashed at Esme before they were buried. And despite the Healer's power, he could not save the child.

XO

James was born with clear markings of the Just. No one apart from the Mind Reader knew why the Seer cried for hours the day James was marked.

James was brought to the Sacred as a newborn. He was brought up like a son by Esme; for she could not conceive another child after the one she had lost a few years back. She never understood why the Seven were so wary of James and indulged him more than any other Just would indulge their successor.

James was ten when he discovered the fabled power of love. He saw it with his own two eyes, when the Healer whispered "I love you" in the ears of the Just. Esme giggled and smiled and murmured it back, and James saw small colourful flowers bloom in the garden on their own.

The child James was happy to see the kind of power love wielded. As time passed by, however, James became jealous of this power. He said the three words to many, and they were returned numerous times too, with giggles and sighs, yet there was no magic. James grew more furious and frustrated as the years progressed. He started detesting the love he was once desperate for. His heart grew darker with malice and hunger for power.

When the next Just was born, James committed a crime the Mother considered unforgiveable. He murdered the child in its sleep. He then decided that he would completely obliterate the clan of Mystiques and their unique magic of love. If he couldn't have it, he could not see anyone else have it either.

And so for the first time, Taicans saw the rage and destruction of an Unjust. James destroyed the Mind Reader first. He then took out each of the Sacred Seven one by one. He killed all the newborn children marked by the Mother and all the Mystiques he could find. It was a genocide Taica would never forget.

Not even Esme with all her powers could contain James, for he spirited away the Healer and killed him without her knowledge. The grief of losing her love broke Esme's spirit and her magic dimmed. Esme's death was mourned by all Taicans as the end of hope.

The death of the Mystiques and their magic coincided with the disappearance of Lagan, the magical creature of Air and Sea. He disappeared into thin air just as he had appeared out of it. The disappearance of Lagan stirred a riot among the traditionally conflict-averse Taicans.

The Taicans now protected the identity of the next marked child with their lives. No word reached James about this new Just. He was born with much stronger magic than James, and when he came of age, he led a campaign against the Unjust, a title earned by James for his actions.

The Battle of the Just and the Unjust is recorded in every literary form, from folk tales, to poems, to plays. It was a battle of epic proportions. It killed James, yes; but it also killed the Just.

As much as the Taicans waited for another child marked by the Mother, none came. At first they were worried, but slowly Taicans started thanking the Mother for this. They blamed magic for the crimes of James the Unjust. Therefore, magic was never discussed beyond fables in this new society of Taicans. Mystiques no longer commanded any respect; they were a thing of the past that everyone believed should remain in the past. Taicans now considered magical creatures dangerous and alien. Anyone claiming to possess magical abilities was hunted and silenced before they could wreak havoc as James had done, wiping out more than half the population of Taicans.

As the magic disappeared, the structure of ruling modified itself. The Just was now chosen by a Council of Seven, and the Seven were chosen based on their skills.

XO

As time passed, the Mother forgave herself. She started testing a few selected children with small amounts of power. She tightened the rules of magic and made sure that the essence of Mystical magic expanded only to those that truly loved each other. The Mother believed that a heart that loved would never get darkened like that of James.

And so began the new era of Mystiques.

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you for reading, tell me how you feel about the story. And for those who have read the entry in the contest - this expanded version will be a tiny bit different because I've put more thought into it as I'm expanding it. So, don't skip the upcoming chapters. They might surprise you.


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N:** **Welcome everyone! This is for everyone including those who have read the O/S, I've made many significant additions in the expanded chapters. Please do read the upcoming chapters as they have major plot points that couldn't be covered in the original one-shot due to word limits. Hope you enjoy yourself.**

 **This chapter is readable because of the hard work of my pre-reader NKubie and the commendable patience of my beta Ninkita despite the hair she probably pulled while editing this. I have no idea how they work with me, I'm eternally grateful that they do. Thank you girls, this chapter wouldn't be what it is without you both**.

 **Disclaimer:** Twilight and its inclusive material are copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the present author. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter 1**

 _Alyss and Jazpr_

Life was hard for fishermen on Taica. The sea creatures were wild and unpredictable and fishing was a very dangerous profession. The ferocious green seas occupied more than eighty percent of the surface area of the small planet. It was said that only the bravest or the most foolish went fishing in Taica. But the expeditions were worth their price for those in need, because sea creatures were a delicacy, the food of the rich and famous, and brought in a lot of money—if only the fisherman survived.

Jazpr was a child like no other. He was kind, beautiful, polite and thoughtful. Born to a family of farmers, he was unfortunately the worst worker the family had seen in the past century. Everything he touched became rotten in a few days. When Jazpr, fondly known as Japp, was a six year old, his mother helped him grow a flowering plant. He cared for it meticulously and a beautiful flower bloomed. Unfortunately when his mother woke up the next day, she found the flower that usually blooms for six days straight had already collapsed and withered away, as if in pain. Later, when Japp worked on his parents' farm, it was destroyed overnight by an acid storm.

These coincidences along with the faint markings on his shoulder worried Japp's mother. Old fables resonated in her ears. Japp had all the traits and markings of the Destroyer from the Sacred Seven, but she couldn't let anyone see his mysticism. They would murder him! Japp's mother couldn't see another child taken away by the Ratniks; she had already lost her elder son Pet to those heartless soldiers all those years back. And so, Japp's desperate mother sent him to a very dangerous mission—sailing. _At least he would stay out of the eyes of the warriors_ , she hoped.

XOXO

"Japp has gotten good, eh." Captain patted Japp's back.

Japp grunted back his acknowledgement. He was glad his power to suck the life out of creatures helped him in fishing. The wild sea creatures were tame around Japp. It made him an excellent fisherman. The water also calmed him like nothing else. Captain and others on the ship called the Great Green Ocean a part of his soul.

One day, Japp was just staring at the vast ocean when he overheard two of his shipmates talking about Mystiques. This didn't surprise Japp. The Great Green Ocean sailors were known for their folklore and stories. Life on any ship was usually short, given the dangers involved. Sailors were adventurous and risk takers as a result, because they believed in life lived beyond the chains of fear, judgement and binding rules. Sailors had always been of a free mind, which refused to conform to the norm. Thus, Mystiques weren't a forbidden topic to discuss on the seas, unlike the lands of Taica which prohibited it.

"Never thought the Great Green Ocean would be this dangerous, eh Dak?" Glym, a new crew member of the Captain's ship asked his fellow mate.

"It wasn't always this dangerous, was it?" Dak responded.

"Glym's ancestors were sailors," Glym explained. "He heard all kinds of stories from them. They say when Lagan ruled the Skies and Seas, the fish were plenty to feed the whole planet. The fishermen didn't even need to venture this far into the Great Green. The coastal areas and their nearby water bodies could supply more than enough fish for all."

"Dak cannot imagine that kind of life. Fish everyday!"

"You know, fishermen were respected folks back then. It was not a profession limited to the uneducated, unwanted and the should-be-dead's like it is now. The disappearance of the Mystiques has toppled the balance of Taica. Taicans on the land think they're mythical and just folklore created to scare children. They have no idea how real Mystiques are." Glym paused, looking out towards the endless expanse of the Green Ocean of Taica. He absently noted that the shade of green was lightest near the vessel and became darker as it met the horizon.

"They're as real as _Fheshi_ , Taica's sun. They're as real as Taicans of the land. Taicans don't know why we have acid storms, them just put their heads down and endure it. They don't know that the storms are the result of them's polluted minds, it is the wrath of the Mother. Mysticism is a gift from the Mother, and the warriors kill anyone showing even a faint mark of mystical power. The seas be wild and wicked in absence of Lagan, but Taicans would rather make Lagan a mythical legend than look for him and beg him to rule the skies and seas again and safeguard us. The forests are unruly but they no do nothing about it. And they call _us_ the fools."

Dak shook his head in disgust. The two men were silent for a moment before Glym spoke again.

"Glym has heard Taicans on the land make fun of his way of talking. He calls him his name, he no say 'I' or 'me', so them say his language is stilted. Glym has heard it all. What them people never realise is that us sailors never had fancy school or grammar lessons. Sailors and their families, fishing town in general—we work hard to make ends meet. Ever seen a fishermen in town at a school? How would you? We work all day and night to feed our children and they work small jobs to contribute to the house. We have no time to learn big and small grammar mistakes and how. We only learn everything there is to know, operate and survive on a ship. We no need to know more. It's just words, they'll die with us anyway."

Dak nodded and repeated the sailor's mantra, "One _Fheshi_ , one life."

XOXO

"Hey, what's that white thing there?" Sam-Sam, the Captain's boy shouted.

Everyone rushed to drag in the floating dead fish. Only it wasn't a fish—it was a female. She was a gorgeous, small, frail young girl who was white as a sheet. Japp immediately rushed to her side and rubbed her hands to get some colour in her. He then realised that his touch would probably kill her, so he promptly dropped her hand and ran far away from her.

Captain, Sam-Sam and some crew members tended to the girl and took her to rest in one of the private cabins onboard. Japp came to check on her in the middle of night, when he heard the sound of dry heaving from her cabin. He instinctively flew to her assistance and helped her sit up and sip some water. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hands and grinned at Japp, teeth and all. It was the first time he had really looked at her, and he was stunned. Her smile mesmerised him. Then reality came crashing down on Japp; he drew his hands from hers and took several steps back. He was almost rushing out of the door when he heard her croaking voice say, "Don't. Don't fight it, we're meant to be. I'm the one person you won't hurt."

Japp was shocked to hear such a bold declaration from a stranger. He turned and walked straight out of the door.

The strange girl was weirder than Japp himself, which he had never thought possible. She was brighter than Fheshi. She smiled at everyone but never showed her teeth to them. Japp was relieved in a way, because in Taican culture, teeth were only shown to people one liked or loved. But at the same time, he thought that he wasn't worth her affection, he wasn't worth anyone's affection. This perplexed him even more because he couldn't get over her toothy smile from the other night. To everyone's surprise, the strange girl never gave out her name to anyone. Anytime someone asked her, she smiled at them, told them they could call her whatever they wish and walked away. Maybe she would tell Japp if he asked her. He won't do it though; he hadn't talked to her or approached her since that first night. He would not let himself be the reason she perished. Japp then decided that he would stay away from the weird girl.

Japp's shipmates started calling her 'Rein' which meant pure, because she looked so untouched. Japp saw her improving over the days. She started taking short walks which later developed into strolls along the deck of the ship. She rarely stayed in her room. Once, when she was asked why, she replied, "It's suffocating. I need air."

One night Japp was sitting at the edge of the deck when he felt her presence.

"She's fine," she said with the serene smile on her face.

Japp looked at her questioningly.

"Your _Mata_ , you were worried about her. She's a bit sick, a little hay fever. She'll be fine in three days. She's looking forward to your return."

"How do you know who or how Japp's m-mother is?" Japp stuttered.

"My dreams tell me. You're not the only mystical one. I told you we're meant to be." She tucked her straight shoulder-length platinum blonde hair behind her ear and leaned over to show him her markings—she was a Seer.

"J-Japp needs to go." He started to leave when he heard her whisper, "Mother, when will he believe me?"

"Never. You're lying. You're making these things up to get something. Japp doesn't know what that is, but it's surely a waste of time. He has nothing to give to you. He has nothing to give anyone. Japp is not meant for you, girl. He is not meant for anyone. You best stay away from him," Japp warned her with a heavy heart. Yet he felt the faint stirrings of hope upon seeing her markings—what if she really was a Mystique?

Rein was the only female aboard the sailor's ship, so naturally she had many admirers. It didn't bother Japp in the least, or so he told himself. But when Shae, the self-proclaimed best looking male on the ship, started accompanying Rein on her evening strolls, Japp clenched his fists and pretended to not care about her strained but polite smile. The smile was unlike any of the smiles she had ever sent his way. It looked like she was forcing herself to even look at him, let alone smile. Shae never noticed the strain. He just kept babbling and boasting about himself as usual.

"Shae can lift two whole barrels of ale. Does Rein drink ale?"

Japp and the girl shook their heads. Japp kept his observation about her strained smile to himself and avoided Rein as always. Japp was a proud man, and a determined one too. He would never cross paths with Rein if he could avoid her. Interestingly, he never realised when his determination dwindled and he became more and more aware of her proximity. One evening, he absentmindedly even smiled at her. He didn't notice the joy on her face because he turned away immediately to introspect on why and when he had stopped running from her.

That night on the deck, Japp was contemplating if he should talk to her after all, simply to be polite and ask about her health. It wasn't that he was interested in her. She was beautiful, of course, gorgeous even, but Japp didn't see her like that. She was—well she was a traveller aboard his ship and he needed to inquire about her health to make sure she got the right treatment and so that she didn't infect anyone else. Yes, that was a good explanation. That's why he wanted to talk to Rein, no other reason. Surely not because he couldn't get her smile out of his head. And definitely not because he wanted to be the person she told her name.

"I'm Li-Li. Well, my official documents write it as Alyss, but I've always been known as Li-Li."

Japp was startled out of his thoughts. He stared at her disbelievingly, then nodded as if to accept that she wasn't a figment of his imagination.

"That's an odd name, Alyss." Japp was trying very hard to control his panic and appear nonchalant.

"So is Jazpr." Li-Li sat beside Japp.

"How do you know Japp's name?" Japp had never told anyone his full name. No one apart from his irate mother ever called him by that name.

"I know many things, Japp." said Li-Li sagely.

"And what would they be, Rei- uh, Li-Li?"

"I know you must head north-east. Your destiny lies in the Deep Waters." Li-Li smiled that all-knowing smile, teeth and all, at him.

The Deep Waters was the fiercest part of the Great Green. The waves were unforgiving and the marine life was a danger to any living being sailing through it. Japp smiled ruefully and thought, _'It's Japp's 'destiny' to die a painful death. Maybe that's his repentance for all the destruction his mysticism has caused.'_ He nodded at Li-Li and left.

A week later, a relaxed evening after a hard day's work, found Japp in what they called the Barrel Room, aptly named after the barrels of ale stocked in the room along with a long table and three scattered smaller tables. The room had a heap of clean mugs constantly restacked by the sailor-boy assigned to dishes for the month. Japp noticed an intoxicated Shae narrating impossible stories for entertainment.

"—Shae has a love bond, my brothers. No, no, listen to Shae—this is a true story. He is in love."

The crowd hollered in encouragement.

"No woman can resist the face of Shae. And of course, his cock makes the woman swoon. She has been mesmerised too. She wants a piece of his cock. She wants to bounce on it and scream. And bounce she will. Shae has a plan. Plan where he finds her alone, maybe grab her during the daily evening stroll. Once she will have Shae's hands pressing those small boobs, she will remove that white frock by herself—she will remove it or Shae will help her remove it. That tiny wisp of woman, so beautiful, so pure. She will not be able to resist the love bond of Rein and Shae. And of course, once Shae's cock has had her, she can live her life the way she wants to. Maybe us can share her, eh?"

Japp closed his eyes and clenched his fists to control the urge to punch Shae's face. He needed to calm down but his instincts warred with his rationality. Instincts won, and for a split second Japp felt the power surge through his veins, swelling as it pulled on Shae's lifeforce. The sailor let out a cry and dropped to his knees in a dead faint.

Never before had the victims of his power survived, but this time, Japp felt strangely in control. He could feel the energy coursing through his body, and felt a tug that told him to stop before Shae was completely annihilated.

Japp had never rejoiced when his control slipped and hurt another being, but this was different. Afterwards, he was not even a little guilty for what his lack of control caused Shae. _'No one talks about his Li-Li like that,'_ he thought and then immediately cursed himself for calling her 'his'.

That night, Japp worried that his powers had increased and what that might mean. Would he hurt Li-Li? Was it wrong for him to constantly think about her? Wasn't that what he had punished Shae for? Li-Li, in the meanwhile, came and sat beside him. She slowly slipped her hand into his and smiled at him. Her touch immediately assuaged his fears of hurting her. It was as though her touch soothed his fears in one small but significant motion. Japp found himself smiling back, only lips at first, but slowly showing his teeth too. He saw relief in her eyes, which puzzled him, but he left it for later. They remained side by side, holding hands for the rest of the night.

After that night, the shipmates usually found Japp and Li-Li on the deck in the late evenings, sometimes talking, sometimes laughing. Japp made himself her personal guardian in case Shae's strength returned and he decided to act on his original plan to hurt his Li-Li. Japp readily thought of her as 'his' now. He liked her, maybe even more. If Li-Li asked him to steal food from the kitchen for a midnight snack, Japp actually did it. Japp would do anything for her smile. Japp was not the same person with Li-Li. He felt whole, somehow. She filled an emptiness inside him that he hadn't even been aware of. The more Li-Li talked about herself, the more Japp asked. He felt as though she was made for him. He also noticed that both their markings had been getting darker since they had met. It made him even more curious about her.

One night, Li-Li ventured into the story of her childhood. She told him about how her parents had tried to kill her when she was eight years old because she told them about her dreams and they saw her predictions come true. How her mother feared the faint markings behind her ear and thought it best to get rid of her. How she had survived by hiding in a small fishing village all these years. Japp said nothing apart from rubbing her back with balled fists as she spoke. She later told him about the only friend she ever had. A girl her age, a warrior's daughter who was a troublemaker but very sharp. Li-Li was a naughty child and loved playing harmless pranks because she never got caught except once by the warrior's daughter who then started participating in her pranks. They were a few glorious days in Li-Li's life before the girl's parents took her away and Li-Li was alone again.

In the days following that jarring confession, Japp opened up to Li-Li and told her about how he had always been lonely in his life, even as a child. He told her about his absent father and his struggling mother. He told her how he lost his father and brother one day and realised that his father took his mother's soul with him. His mother was physically present, but her soul was lost without his father. Li-Li looked at him with tearful eyes, before slowly putting her head on his chest. She sighed when she felt Japp encircle his arms around her, hugging her like he never wanted to let her go. Morning found Li-Li in Japp's arms sleeping contently.

As had become his habit, Japp was sitting on the deck one day thinking about how hard Li-Li's life had been. Japp wanted to wring the necks of her parents who had tried to murder their eight year old daughter. His fury was so overwhelming that he didn't realise he was causing the sea to swell with his anger. He noticed just in time that the approaching tide was about to drown the ship and Li-Li with it. His fear of losing Li-Li gave him a power like he had never felt before. He found himself connected to the essence of the sea, and instinctively calmed the angry waves.

Li-Li saw the whole scene and came running to jump into his arms.

"I knew it!" exclaimed Li-Li.

"What did you know?" Japp asked an elated Li-Li.

"You're tapping into your full potential now. Your mystical power of absorbing life energy and thus destruction is being enhanced by the elemental power of water. You can absorb the life essence of water now. The Mother has been very kind to you, Japp. I'm so happy for you."

Japp blinked, twice.

"That makes no sense." Japp understood the destruction part—he's been doing that all his life—but the water thing made absolutely no sense to him.

Before Li-Li could explain the whole thing to him, Japp blurted out the question that was nagging at his brain.

"Why now, though? Why after so many years?"

At this, Li-Li gave him a shy smile. She held his hand and squeezed it a bit before replying, "Because you love me. Love is the trigger for your enhanced powers."

"It is? He does?"

Li-Li's smile dimmed at his confusion. Japp wanted to slap himself for that _betle_ , a local slang roughly translated as a foolish mistake. He immediately drew her closer and put his forehead against hers. He whispered, "Of course it's true. Of course Japp does. He loves you, Li-Li."

Li-Li teared up hearing his earnest confession. "I love you too," she choked.

Japp lowered his face to hers and finally kissed her like he had been meaning to. Their kiss was not for the shy or faint-hearted. Love-bonded couples in Taica were very passionate and Japp and Li-Li were no different. He pressed his lips to hers and slowly explored her lower lip with his tongue. When she opened her mouth, he slowly entwined his tongue around hers and was thrilled to find her reciprocating.

They spent that night basking in the warmth of their confession, exploring each other and exploring the possibilities of where these elemental powers could take them. Li-Li disclosed that her manipulation of the element of air was out of control and that it scared her. She promised to find them both a teacher who would show them how to control, manipulate and use their new powers.

A few days later, the Mother blessed Li-Li with a vision which included travel instructions and hope of a better future. Li-Li and Japp immediately requested the Captain for a spare boat, citing a dangerous mission as the reason. Captain's joyous eyes bled greed at the prospect of a dangerous, ergo money-minting, off-course adventure. He sanctioned them a spare boat the next day and Japp and Li-Li set course to find their Master, the original Mystique of Water and Air, Lagan.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading. Hope you enjoyed it.**

 **All my love,**  
 **sri**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N:** **As I said in my previous A/N, even if you've read the O/S please read the chapter. I've made too many changes for you to miss them. Many many thanks to Ninkita and NanKubie for beta'ing and pre-reading respectively. Their patience is a gift.**

 **Shout out to cupcakeriot for being a sweetheart and helping me understand basics of writing (which I may not have learnt well).**

 **This chapter is a birthday gift for the girl who pushes me to do my best, who always believes in me and who is a shameless partner in my crimes - purpleC305. I hope you have lovely birthday, sweetheart!**

 **Chapter 2**

 _Rozee and Mett_

There were no warriors fiercer than the Ratniks in Taica. Named after the first Mystique warrior, the legion was known to be both fearless and ruthless. It was fabled that Ratniks protected the Just with their titanium strength and masterful planning. Nowadays, Ratniks protected not only the Just, but also all the rules and regulations created and supported by him. Warriors had become foot soldiers in these modern times.

Rozee, daughter of two Ratniks, wanted to be a warrior since childhood. "There is glory in strength," she was always told.

Rozee, popularly known as Rori, first noticed faint markings on her collarbone on her tenth birthday. Her keen instinct as a strategist warned her to keep the marks hidden till she could find out more about them. It did not take her long to realize that they were the markings of the Warrior of the Seven. She knew that her parents' name, fame and respect on Taica depended on her conduct and actions. If they found out about the marks, her parents would get rid of her, according to the prevailing laws. Fearful of the consequence of the marks being seen, and perversely curious about the potential for strength they offered her, she chose the dangerous path of subterfuge.

As puberty approached, Rori was chosen to be a Ratnik. Her parents couldn't have been happier. And though Rori's soul rejoiced in finding its calling, she was also terrified of revealing her real strength and capabilities.

As the years passed, the wild forests of the West had become wilder, just like the seas were now unsafe for the general population. The Ratniks were doing everything they could to keep the wilderness from harming the Taican population. Rori, now a tall, intimidating young woman at six feet five inches, continued to strategize and manipulate situations to ensure that her secret would never be revealed. Her deceptively thin, shapely body made her appear to be much weaker than she actually was, and with some crafty planning and quick thinking she used this illusion to snag the most insignificant responsibility a Ratnik could be given—protecting the Clan of the Far West, mostly from small animals.

* * *

"Oh stop! Will you stop running? You will hurt yourself." Rori chased after the running girl. Her words seemed to have no effect, and the small child continued to pump her chubby little legs in a bid to run into the dark, enticing forest.

"Suit yourself, but don't tell me I didn't warn you, foolish child." Rori muttered, before putting on a sudden burst of speed, which helped her easily catch the runaway. "Now be useful and get out of my way before you become a bleemie's meal."

In one smooth motion, she kicked down the nearest tree and set the child afloat in the nearby river in the direction of her house. Rivers were one of the only remaining blessings of nature left for the Taicans. They were helpful and harmless; only the dying and decaying ever drowned in the gentle pink waters of the Rivers. They flowed both upstream and downstream and they always assisted the lost and the haggard.

Rori huffed with a stern face and a prominent frown, then continued to hunt the bleemie, a large creature about three feet tall and one foot wide. It had an impenetrable hard shell of skin and poisonous stone spikes on top of the shell, which made it an extremely dangerous creature, because it could neither be stabbed with a sharp metal knife nor shot with a metal bullet.

' _Damn, my laser gun is_ _dis_ _charge_ _d_ _. Stupid circuit fused forest with barely functional electricity_ _,'_ Rori could see how restless and fierce the creature was. Just as she thought she could move closer to one, two more attacked her from behind. Rori fought as bravely as one could with three bleemies at the same time. Since she didn't have an audience any longer, she let go and used all her strength and agility. Within minutes, she had flung the fierce bleemies over at a large rock. Three resounding splats were heard in succession, confirming the elimination of the threat.

Rori was satisfied and proud of her strength. Now that she was in a forest with minimum communication from command, Rori thought she ought to test her strength and skills more often to gauge their limits. She set course to the town when she suddenly fainted from the scratches on her skin from the poisonous bleemies. Fortunately, the little girl's parents found Rori soon after, lying unconscious on the forest floor. They rushed her to the nearest Healer's Chambers. When Rori opened her eyes, she found herself in a dimly lit room. Her body stiffened, and she was looking for clues as to where she was, when her eyes spotted a large looming figure. Rori deduced he was a male from his gait and the thumping of his boots. He was tall, much taller than Rozee. This in itself was rare for her, because she was one of the tallest females on the planet. He was about seven foot tall, with broad shoulders and muscular arms. Rori prepared to shift her stance into attacking position. She relaxed slightly when she realised that the figure wore the traditional yellow robes of a Healer. _He could_ _'ve been a Ratnik with that build._

Rori heard the kind and quiet voice of the Healer say, "How're you feeling now?"

He started checking her wounds with a diagnostic wand without waiting for an answer. Rori's body went rigid in surprise, but she relaxed herself when she realised that she needed the healing. If he noticed her deliberate silence or her sour face, he didn't mention it.

"I'm glad I got you," the Healer murmured in the background of the wand's beeping.

Rori snapped her eyes open and glared at the Healer for alluding to 'getting' her. Nobody could 'get' Rori—she was her own person. She sat up immediately but the Healer easily pushed her back into a sleeping position with a sweet, toothy smile. She rolled her eyes internally. ' _Oh boy, another_ _thinks-with-a-cock male or as they call them in Tall societies:_ _a suitor._ ' Rori was a beautiful female and she was used to the attention she received from males. She hated the attention because it felt like one more responsibility on her already burdened shoulders. There wasn't a male Ratnik who hadn't shown his teeth to Rori. It seemed this one was no different.

"I mean, I'm glad you were brought here under my care. Who are your parents, do I know them? Did you seek me out or did the Enlightened send you?"

"Oh, will you keep your questions to yourself? And no, I did not 'seek' you out, seeing as I didn't know of your existence until a few moments ago. Which big fish do think you are, huh? I don't even know your name, not that I'll bother remembering it if I did. And who on Taica are the Enlightened? Are you actually a Healer or a mind-healing patient pretending to be one?" Rori ranted at the Healer.

The Healer flashed her a look of horror before he answered in a measured tone, "You're right, my questions were unnecessary. I'm known in the circles of the Far West and people do seek me out. I apologise for assuming that about you. My name is Mett. The Enlightened are nothing. You need rest. I shall check on you again in a while."

When he turned around to walk away, Rori caught hold of his hand to stop him. They both felt a static shock at the same time, but Mett recovered and jerked his chin up in the universal gesture for ' _what?_ '

"You can't lie to save your life, Healer. The Enlightened are _some_ thing or you wouldn't have mentioned them. Who are they? Out with it." Rori demanded.

"The Healers that specialise in poisoning are called the Enlightened. Now rest up."

Rori narrowed her eyes at his retreating form, carrying the diagnostic wand and the flat pad which contained her medical reports. She knew he was still lying. There were no specialisations on Taica. Healers knew about every part of the Taican anatomy and medicine, the same way Ratniks were trained as a one-person army from day one. 'Specialisation is for those that can't handle everything,' her father always said.

Rori quickly assessed her situation. She had two tasks ahead of her: one was to delete her medical records and the second was to find out about that mystery of the Enlightened.

* * *

Mett was embarrassed and terrified by his actions. He had put all their lives in danger because his ego needed stroking. More like his cock needed stroking, but that was a thought for another day. And what a rude female—though she talked like his father, so maybe all Ratniks were that rude, condescending and blunt. He couldn't afford a Ratnik sniffing around him. His mission and the people they were protecting were too important.

Mett was mentally berating himself when he felt a hand on his shoulder, "Mett? Are you okay, child?"

"I'm not okay. I'm so sorry, Mata. I made a big mistake."

Jeva, Mett's mother, made him sit down and handed him a drink. "Drink something, you'll feel better. Now tell me what happened?"

"I asked a Ratnik if she was sent by the Enlightened."

Jeva gasped, "Why would you DO that?"

"She came in for treatment. One of the locals brought her. She was poisoned by the bleemies, and no one survives an attack from bleemies. I got curious. I saw visible markings of the warrior on her. I thought she was one of us, but she's an Ignorant. And I'm a fool."

Jeva was surprised he said so much in one breath. Mett was not a talker. He was a sensitive one and kept to himself mostly. Jeva feared the ramifications that ignorant Ratnik could bring to their lives. Ignorants were Mystiques who didn't acknowledge their powers or who thought that their powers would 'go away.' A combination of Ratnik and Ignorant was the most dangerous one ever, because there was no way to ascertain the powers of the Ignorant and they operated with the ruthlessness and training of a Ratnik.

"Ignorant or not, she's a Ratnik, Mett. If she digs deeper into these woods and finds us, you will be responsible for her curiosity. We have maintained the illusion that the far West has a sparse population for years to protect the families of the surviving and budding Mystiques. We have nurtured the belief that Mystiques are truly dead to safeguard the families and children of the Marked. And you, Mett, son of Mazn, the Leader of the Enlightened—you have put us all in the sights of a Ratnik. Ratniks, who have destroyed us, who kill our children, who ostracised us and made us unwelcome on the planet we helped create. Oh Mett, how could you?"

"I know, Mata. there is no excuse. I'll speak to father, maybe we will have to move quicker than we planned. I just really thought her markings were too dark for her to be an Ignorant. Although, she was heavily drugged and in a lot of pain, maybe she won't remember a thing tomorrow. If she asks again, I'll tell her it was a hallucination. That should give us enough time to organise a move."

"You better hope so boy, because if she finds out about us, I'll kill you before your father knows about it."

Over the next few days, Mett avoided Rori as much as he could. He checked on her regularly but always timed it to her sleep cycle. He wanted her to heal quickly and leave, but he couldn't use his skills on her lest she got even more curious. Instead, he did things the Taican way. He kept a steady flow of the Taican medicines in her bloodstream to remove the bleemie poison. He was curious about the Ratnik though. It puzzled him as to how she had managed to hide such a prominent marking from her fellow Ratniks. Mett concluded that no one knew how strong a Mystique this Ratnik was.

One day, Mett was admiring the dark green, almost black colour of her long straight hair, the lightest green shade of her skin, her high cheekbones and her regally slanting nose. His eyes travelled upwards, expecting to see the light green skin of her eyelids, but instead encountered pitch black eyes. For a moment, neither spoke, as Rori stared back at him.

When Rori finally spoke, Mett was instantly on guard. Without wasting a moment, he turned and left. Rori was baffled, but did not give up. Over the next few days, she tried to talk to him often, but soon realised that interrogating the Healer would not work. Mett might as well be a stone door with how close lipped he was. She noticed him glance at her markings now and again. Hopefully he didn't remember the markings of a warrior, or Rori's life could be in danger. Most people don't remember the legends very clearly, and she was hoping he was sheltered too.

At the same time, she found herself wanting to protect the Healer. She couldn't fully understand why, but she decided to go against protocol and kept his Enlightened slip up to herself. The forest was a low-to-no-signal area, she decided it would be a waste of her energy to inform the Command unless she had a solid lead.

A full week had passed, and she wanted to run away from the smell of medicines and the constant beeping of machines. But she also wanted to learn Mett's secret. She decided to compromise. She took leave of Mett's hospice and made her way back to her territory. But she kept a close eye on Mett and decided to 'accidentally' meet him.

* * *

The first time she arranged the meeting, Mett was restocking medicines and supplies in the City of the West. The City was a huge commercial centre, though it catered to the smallest population of Taica. It was a mystery why the city was always bustling with traders when not more than ten small clans lived in and around the city. Curious, indeed—

"Watch your step!"

Rori nodded to the trader in apology and turned to stare at Mett, once again her saviour. It was a friendly greeting considering she wasn't glaring at him.

"Are you still terrifying people with your horrendous bedside manner?"

Mett was shocked to see that he just saved Rori but schooled his expression before she could see it. If Mett were to translate his father's dialect, which Rori seemed fluent in, then Rori had just asked him if he was well. Mett replied with his usual patient follow-up.

"I am well. How are you now? Any pain? Dizziness? Any issues in consumption of food or excretions?"

"Stop with the questions! You're like a trans-pod with no stop point. I am not describing my perfect excretions in the middle of a market. Have some shame!"

' _How am I a trans-pod? That's a means of commutation and it always has a stop point. Maybe I asked her too many questions too soon.'_ Mett was thoroughly embarrassed by her rant. She was right in her way, albeit a little rude, but that seemed like a Ratnik thing to do considering his father talked the same way. Mett apologised and quickly left the street and the conversation. His chest ached while leaving, though. He marked it up to his embarrassment and awkwardness..

The ache lessened each time they 'accidentally' saw each other. She was brash and rude but Mett realised after observing her that she was the same with everyone and not just Mett. It was a part of her _charming_ personality. Mett felt something for her even though he didn't know her. He cursed his luck that she was an Ignorant. He would've still tried to introduce her to the Enlightened, but it was his worst fate that she was a Ratnik too.

* * *

Rori's plan was not working as fast as she had hoped. Mett was not a talkative male, too quiet for Rori. He was not just 'trying to keep a secret,' he really just didn't interact a lot. A polite nod here and there, a casual hello and goodbye was the extent of their interactions and Rori was extremely unsatisfied with it. She was curious about his secret, but she was sure that Mett's secret, whatever it maybe, was not dangerous.

In the meantime, another phenomenon had got her attention. Lately, she felt like someone was looking at her, only to find empty space in her periphery. It happened only once that she found Mett staring at her with an inscrutable expression on his face. She smirked, he smiled and they parted, maintaining their toothy grins. Rori didn't even realise that Mett was the first male who had made her return a toothy grin.

That night, Rori dreamt of Mett. She had never thought about a male before; yet she dreamt of him in the most delicious way. Oh, the things he was doing to her body had her writhing on her sleep cot. Rori woke up in a burning room the next morning. Her sleep cot was on fire, her desk and her guns melting and rotting in it. She grabbed her communicator and rushed out of her sanctioned quarters. She checked the perimeter to analyse who or what had started the fire. When her search yielded unsuccessful results, Rori decided to keep one eye open.

Her sleep cot was charred and burnt, the desk was usable albeit a little scorched but the weapons were unusable except the metal blade. She decided to order a new sleep cot from the City, but the weapons had to be sanctioned by the Command. Rori made a mental note to request the weapons once she figured out the cause of the fire. She couldn't very well leave the reason for request blank.

Strangely, the fires were quite frequent since that night. They happened on the most unexpected nights. They never went farther than her cot, but Rori noticed that it always caught fire whenever she dreamt of Mett... and lately she dreamt about him a lot.

Rori needed to figure out how to control this fire business. She couldn't keep ordering fire extinguishing pills and new cots, it could raise suspicion. The fire came from within her, that she now understood. This was an additional anomaly in her already isolated life, and it annoyed her. She was not going to be a blue among reds.

She had been monitoring Mett since the first day. There was something not right in the way he looked at her. He obviously saw her marks, she had been practically naked in the healer's chambers. But he obviously didn't recognise them or maybe… he had kept her secret like she had kept his. Rori decided to confront Mett. All this has been happening to her since she met him. He had to know what was going on, this was beyond her usual abnormalities. Maybe he gave her a wrong medication and this was all a reaction to it. Next morning, she walked directly to him.

"What is this?" she thundered at Mett.

Mett tilted his head in confusion.

"What do I do with it?" She raised her hand and accidentally showed him her burnt skin.

Mett looked around.

"Which fish are you looking at?" Rori asked frustrated while she checked her surroundings as people discreetly stared at their strange exchange.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Mett said in a low voice and quickly walked to the nearest trans-pod station, deliberately touching the back of her hand on the way, relishing the static that followed the touch.

' _That was a pointless encounter,'_ Rori thought on her way back. She decided to figure out something about the fires because her burnt skin was painful. She looked at her hand and found the skin almost healed. Shock coursed through Rori and she was astonished at the rapid healing of her skin. She was now even more curious about the fire. ' _Can I control it? Manipulate it? Is that why I don't have severe burns? How did the burns heal so quickly though?'_

* * *

It was then that the Mother finally arranged for an unplanned meeting.

* * *

The Enlightened gave basic fighting and healing training to each member of their group to improve their chances of survival. Mett was a natural healer, but he was also one of their best fighters. He had been trained in the art by a Ratnik—the only Ratnik to ever leave the force, who later became the Leader of the Enlightened—his father.

Mett was training with three apprentices deep in the forest, when he heard screaming. All four ran towards the noise.

They saw a bunch of bleemies surrounding a trap pit. Mett sent a quick prayer to the Mother to protect whoever was trapped in that pit, because bleemies could devour a person. Suddenly, a bleemie flew out of the trap, landing with a hard thud on the ground, dead. Mett and his apprentices were stunned at the sheer strength of the person trapped in the pit. The rest of the bleemies shifted around restlessly. One of them lost their grip and slipped into the pit only to be regurgitated again with the same force and an outcry of " _Vrag!_ "

The rest of the bleemies ran in different directions after that. Mett and his friends peered into the pit to find Rori in all her glory. Rori had been scouting the best place to practice her fire building skills when she misstepped and landed in a deep trap pit. Mett had never seen her look more glorious, and if he was honest with himself, more attractive than that moment, with dirt and dried leaves stuck to her body. In a flash, he realised that Rori was no Ignorant. She knew about her powers and used them when she thought no one was watching.

When Rori looked up and saw Mett with three boys, her first reaction was relief at not having to stay trapped in this pit for the night. Her second reaction was dread, because they must have seen her kick the bleemies out of the pit. Her third reaction was determination to silence the witnesses. She trusted Mett a little and liked him a lot more, but if he and his associates saw her display of strength, they had to be eliminated. _Why couldn't they have rocks for eyes?_ Rori was dismayed at the waited until they pulled her out of the pit and then swiftly and silently knocked out the three kids, before she grabbed her only weapon, the metal blade, and went for Mett.

* * *

Mett was looking through his medicine bag to heal the small bruises he had seen on Rori's body. He couldn't use the diagnostic wand because he needed the camp or his hospital for connectivity. He had just settled on the bandages and cure for poisons instead, when he heard—nothing. There was no noise; the wilderness was too quiet. He could feel a presence behind him and instinctively he grabbed the person behind him and pushed them against the nearest tree trunk. Mett and Rori were inches apart when he saw the blade in her hand.

"What are you doing?" Mett was furious. Had it been any other Ratnik, he would have already killed her.

"I know what you saw and you will not tell anyone. I will not let you ruin my parents' reputation. I may be abnormal but they are respected people on Taica and there is nothing greater than respect in a Ratniks life," Rori said, with an apology in her mind.

"Abnormal? Mystiques are not abnormal." Mett was baffled by the Ratnik's explanation. She wasn't even sorry. Why was she so rude?

"Don't call me a Mystique. I can't be associated with them. They're a myth and I'm a Ratnik." Rori stared into Mett's eyes.

"But, you _are_ a Mystique. You have the marking of the Warrior right here." Mett traced his fingers below her collarbone. Rori felt fire pulsing through every nerve end when Mett touched her body. Her eyes flashed red, orange and yellow like fire for not more than a second, but long enough to startle Mett.'

"You, your eyes!"

"What's wrong with them?" Rori frowned.

Met shook his head slowly as if to clear his head. "They're beautiful. You're beautiful. It's a shame you're a Ratnik too."

Mett's soft words broke the euphoria of his touch. Rori summoned all her energy and raised her arm. She jabbed the knife in his side and muttered, "It's my honour to be a Ratnik." She then twisted the knife, causing Mett to squeeze her arms painfully.

Mett popped his eyes open with a sudden gasp of comprehension, and smashed his lips against hers. He pulled her hair with one hand to bring her closer and pulled the knife out of his side with the other. He bit her lip when the knife was pulled out, wanting her to feel a fraction of the pain that coursed through him. They continued kissing and pulling and pushing until they couldn't breathe.

Rori's hands slowly brushed against the side of his waist when they took a break to breathe. Rori let out a gasp when she realised that his skin had already healed of the stab wound.

"You're one of them! You're a Mystique!"

"Yes, and you're one of us." Mett smiled, still tracing her skin, slowly moving his fingers from her shoulder to her waist to her hip and back.

"But… but, how? Mystiques are dead! I'm an exception!"

"No, Rozee love. You're a warrior. You're _The Warrior_. I'm the Healer. Look at my markings. You're not the only one. You're not an exception. You _are_ exceptional, Rori."

Mett opened his shirt and showed her the markings of the Healer sitting right above his heart. Rori extended her fingers to trace the mark.

"They're not dead. I'm not the only one," Rori said in a low voice.

"No, you're definitely not. Many Mystiques live peacefully hiding from the Taicans."

"So, regeneration is your power?" Rori asked, her hands still on Mett's chest slowly tracing his mark.

"Uhm, no actually that is new for me. It just started happening a few days back."

"I've had a similar discovery of new powers. That's why I was here today. I wanted to practice and explore it. Burn a few things"

Her arms moved up his shoulders and tugged him forward. Mett kissed her neck and breathed in her scent. "Burn? Why? What's your new power?"

"Fire. I can feel its essence. I burnt a tree to a crisp before the bleemies caught me again. I don't know how to control it yet."

"I know a few pyros but none who can burn a whole tree." Mett thought hard about someone who could help Rori control her fire power, but no one came to mind immediately.

"I know someone who can help us, but you have to promise to keep an open mind and not go Ratnik on them," he finally said.

Rori pushed him away. "Why do you say 'Ratnik' like it smells bad, with your nose scrunched up? We are honest people protecting the land, as is our duty. What do your words even mean?"

Met put both his arms around her and rested his head on her shoulder, placing a small kiss on her light green skin. "I just don't want you to scare them. There is a lot of conflict between Ratniks and the Enlightened."

"There's that word again. Who are these Enlightened? Which pond do they hail from? Why do you worship them and stand by them like a lost rampus?"

"Rampus? Do I look like a finger-sized gliding square box to you?" Mett asked Rori with an amused expression.

"They're loyal pets and they do not look like square boxes! They have legs, ears and eyes."

"Mother save us! We are not their pets. The Enlightened are a group of Mystiques trying to survive, living in shadows and hiding from Taicans, Ratniks especially. I don't worship them, but I am devoted to their cause."

"Why tell me all of this?" Rori discreetly checked the surroundings while voicing her suspicions.

"Well," Mett took her face in his palms, "that would be because we have a love bond, don't you feel it? Don't you feel the pull?"

Rori smiled her biggest smile when she said, "So that's what the chest ache is, I do feel it. I thought I have gastric issues."

Mett laughed and kissed her with all his love. They slowly parted their lips and breathed each other's unique scent. Rori suddenly remembered the three adolescents she knocked out and told Mett about them. They worked together and sent the now conscious teenagers off to camp. Once the kids had been transported they headed towards Rori's quarters.

They spent the rest of the night discussing their future and her safety. Mett decided that since her elemental powers were out of control, Rori would be safer among Mystiques who could deflect it and help her, along with the families under protection of the Enlightened. The next morning, Rori picked her porta-pad and fired a quick mail to her clan's chief that she needed a vacation. Since Rori was mostly overlooked in her clan, her request was approved instantly and she packed her porta-pad away to save its meagre battery. Once she was ready with her essentials and packed away without a trace, Mett took her to the Enlightened camp.

* * *

Situated deep in the forest near the West River creek, the camp was nothing like Rori had imagined. Hidden away in the serenity of the woods, it was bustling with activity. Rori was astonished to see the myriad signs of new and old culture and technology coexisting. Old ratty tents were held together with new-age stelenium tape and ropes. Here and there she spotted more permanent tents with walls of wood rather than the thick polymer of the others. Despite their sturdier appearance, Rori thought of them as tents rather than houses, as they were set up using the same architectural design as the other dwellings. Further, she was intrigued to see that even the most modern of the wooden structures was covered with writings and symbols of the ancient Mystical culture. Only one building stood at odds with the temporary dwellings, an ancient stone structure which looked like a temple of the Mother.

To her surprise, the camp reminded Rori of her childhood neighbourhood, because it bustled with children zipping through the lanes with traditional gooey candies colouring their teeth, as well as the modern snap-snaps that were easy to chew and didn't leave a trace of thievery like the traditional candy did. Oh, how Rori envied the children of this generation. In her childhood it was impossible for children to hide their candy consumption! _Damn coloured teeth._

The porta-pad in Mett's pocket chimed about fifteen times to indicate new notifications. Rori was astonished that they had access to the cyberworld even in the densest part of this forest. Her own devices were useless even in the outskirts of the forest where her camp had been set up. _They're not functional even now._ Noticing her surprise, Mett explained that the camp carried its own signal device that allowed them access to the cyberworld. The Just and Seven couldn't track them because they accessed an alternate cyberworld which was much more expansive than the regulated world that most Taicans used.

To no one's surprise, Rori got along famously with Mett's father, Mazn. Mazn knew what it was to be in Rori's position. He wasn't marked with the symbol of the Seven, but he was a powerful Mystique nonetheless. Mazn helped Rori realise that she had warrior blood in her veins. Mystique or not, Ratnik or not, she was always going to be a warrior.

Mazn's mate Jeva was not so warm towards the young Ratnik girl. Jeva had never trusted the Ratniks. It had taken her a long time to accept her love bond to Mazn and even more time to trust him. She thought Mett deserved someone better. He deserved someone like Kat, who had been his best friend since childhood. But Jeva loved her son. Thus, when Mett told his parents about their new powers, it was Jeva who told Rori and Mett that their love bond was the reason their powers had expanded. She explained that even among the Enlightened, the strongest Mystiques were the ones with bonded mates.

This led to a discussion about Rori's need for training to learn to control fire. Jeva and Mazn sent them to Wren, one of the oldest surviving Enlightened. A scholar, old Wren was the keeper of all available knowledge on Mystiques. She told Rori and Mett about Nar-Zeme, a fire-breathing creature, whose tough, scaly skin and fearsome size alone were said to be enough to strike down its enemies. Like Lagan, Nar-Zeme was one of the original Mystiques of Taica, who ruled the forests and wildlife. But Nar-Zeme too had disappeared deep into the wilderness when the Mystiques had been wiped out in the Old War. Wren told Mett and Rori that legends said that when the time was right, and if those seeking it were pure of heart and purpose, then Nar-Zeme could be found in the Rexen Mountains, at the heart of the Taica's central forest, a far trek away from the marginal Western frontier where the Enlightened were camped.

Thus, Rori and Mett embarked upon the journey of their lives, towards the Rexen Mountains.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you for reading.**

 **All my love,**  
 **sri**


End file.
